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Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

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A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 11677

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Min Wang

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: biomedical materials; tissue engineering; materials and systems for the controlled release of drugs/biomolecules/genes; surface engineering; nanotechnologies; electrospinning; additive manufacturing ("3D printing"); biomanufacturing

Dr. Chong Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, China
Interests: 3D/4D printing; biofabrication; tissue regeneration; biomaterials; organoid
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Qilong Zhao

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Guest Editor

Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen, China
Interests: biointerfaces; stimuli-responsive biomaterials; tissue engineering; biomanufacturing; electrospinning; electrospraying

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tissue engineering emerged more than three decades ago. It has attracted great attention because it holds great promise for solving many difficult medical problems that current treatments cannot deal with or cannot achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes for. Worldwide efforts over the past few decades have led to remarkable progresses in regenerating human body tissues such as skin, blood vessels, and bone. However, there are still great challenges in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Recent advances in materials science and engineering, nanoscience and nanotechnology, manufacturing technologies, biological science, clinical sciences, etc., can significantly move the field forward and greatly assist us to tackle the challenges and regenerate complex body tissues/organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and uterus.

There are different strategies for human body tissue regeneration. Many researchers have successfully used scaffold-, growth factor (GF)-, or cell-based tissue engineering for regenerating human skin, bone, articular cartilage, etc. In scaffold-based tissue engineering, scaffolds provide conducive microenvironments for cells and play vital roles for cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and new tissue formation. Many biocompatible materials, including polymers, metals, ceramics, and composites/hybrids, have been used/developed as tissue engineering materials and have achieved their successes. However, different materials have their advantages and shortcomings. For example, hydrogels have seen their increasing use in the tissue engineering field because of their particular attractiveness, but they are weak materials. Strong and highly resilient hydrogels are now being investigated/developed for targeted applications by research groups in different continents. For the regeneration of a specific body tissue, the material/materials should be carefully selected and evaluated. There are also many scaffold fabrication technologies, including electrospinning and additive manufacturing (i.e., “3D printing”). Electrospinning is attractive because it can produce nanofibrous structures that mimic the extracellular matrix structure. However, there are limitations in electrospinning, so significant improvements for electrospun products are also required. 3D-printing technologies have significantly raised our ability to create complex scaffolds or cell-scaffold constructs for regenerating complex body tissues. Bioprinting has shown great promise in a number of areas, including tissue engineering. However, there many scientific and technological issues that need to be addressed for 3D printing in tissue engineering and for bioprinting. Additionally, stem cells are increasingly used in tissue engineering investigations. Again, there are fundamental and technical questions that need to be answered for their wide use in the field. Designing scaffolds and scaffold simulation (mechanical, fluidic, etc.) are gaining increasing attention with the aim to achieve the best clinical performance for scaffolds. Biomimicking scaffolds are becoming popular for tissue regeneration. Guidelines on scaffold design, which are tissue specific, should therefore be established. Even though there are already numerous investigations on cell‒scaffold interactions, scaffold‒tissue interactions, and biochemical and/or biomechanical cues on cell behaviour and tissue formation, great efforts are still needed to gain further understanding and new insights in these areas. Furthermore, developing multifunctional scaffolds that can also perform other functions (anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, etc.) provides much wider scope for our R&D activities.

This Special Issue provides a forum for sharing new research findings and new insights in different areas mentioned above from people, both experienced workers and newcomers, involved in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. These people include biomaterials scientists and engineers, tissue engineers, biological scientists, clinicians, and industrialists. Submissions presenting new ideas/approaches, new materials, new scaffold designs, new fabrication technologies, novel scaffolds, new testing techniques, and new assessment methods are very welcome. The materials and porous scaffolds that are presented in these submissions are/will be used for regenerating different body tissues/organs, including skin, blood vessels, bone, tendon/ligament, articular cartilage, osteochondral tissue, gastrointestinal tract, liver, uterus, etc. Articles of excellent quality in this Special Issue will be selected as Feature Papers of the Journal of Functional Biomaterials.

Prof. Dr. Min Wang
Dr. Chong Wang
Dr. Qilong Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Biomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

tissue engineering
regenerative medicine
natural polymer
synthetic polymer
hydrogel
metal
ceramic
composite
hybrid
porous scaffold
scaffold design
biomimicking
graded scaffold
multifunctional scaffold
cell‒scaffold construct
scaffold fabrication
electrospinning
3D printing
bioprinting
structure
performance
biodegradation
scaffold simulation
biochemical cue
biomechanical cue
bioreactor
mature cell
stem cell
cell‒scaffold interaction
scaffold‒tissue interaction
in vitro evaluation
in vivo evaluation

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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20 pages, 4201 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Particle Size and Sintering Temperature on Calcium Phosphate Gyroid Structure Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

by Romina Haydeé Aspera-Werz, Guanqiao Chen, Lea Schilonka, Islam Bouakaz, Catherine Bronne, Elisabeth Cobraiville, Grégory Nolens and Andreas Nussler

J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(12), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15120355 - 21 Nov 2024

Abstract

Due to the chemical composition and structure of the target tissue, autologous bone grafting remains the gold standard for orthopedic applications worldwide. However, ongoing advancements in alternative grafting materials show that 3D-printed synthetic biomaterials offer many advantages. For instance, they provide high availability, have low clinical limitations, and can be designed with a chemical composition and structure comparable to the target tissue. This study aimed to compare the influences of particle size and sintering temperature on the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of calcium phosphate (CaP) gyroid scaffolds. CaP gyroid scaffolds were fabricated by 3D printing using powders with the same chemical composition but different particle sizes and sintering temperatures. The physicochemical characterization of the scaffolds was performed using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and microtomography analyses. The immortalized human mesenchymal stem cell line SCP-1 (osteoblast-like cells) and osteoclast-like cells (THP-1 cells) were seeded on the scaffolds as mono- or co-cultures. Bone cell attachment, number of live cells, and functionality were assessed at different time points over a period of 21 days. Improvements in mechanical properties were observed for scaffolds fabricated with narrow-particle-size-distribution powder. The physicochemical analysis showed that the microstructure varied with sintering temperature and that narrow particle size distribution resulted in smaller micropores and a smoother surface. Viable osteoblast- and osteoclast-like cells were observed for all scaffolds tested, but scaffolds produced with a smaller particle size distribution showed less attachment of osteoblast-like cells. Interestingly, low attachment of osteoclast-like cells was observed for all scaffolds regardless of surface roughness. Although bone cell adhesion was lower in scaffolds made with powder containing smaller particle sizes, the long-term function of osteoblast-like and osteoclast-like cells was superior in scaffolds with improved mechanical properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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Figure 1

Figure 1
Scaffold with cylindrical shape and gyroid structure. (a) Top view. (b) Side view. Full article ">Figure 2
Powder composition determined by X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Representative XRD curve for (a) powder A and (b) powder B. Full article ">Figure 3
Mechanical characterization of the three scaffolds tested. (a) Maximum force, (b) maximum stress, (c) displacements at maximum load, and (d) flexural strength were analyzed on scaffolds generated with powder A sintering at 1230 °C [Scaffold A] or powder B sintering at 1250 °C and 1210 °C [scaffolds BI and BII, respectively]. The data are presented as the mean, standard error of the mean, and all data points. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons. p-values are classified as * p < 0.05; *** p < 0.001; and **** p < 0.0001 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A and as # p < 0.05 for comparison within scaffold B. Full article ">Figure 4
Surface topographies of the three scaffolds analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). (a) Scaffold generated with powder A and sintering at 1230 °C. (b) Scaffold generated with powder B and sintering at 1250 °C. (c) Scaffold generated with powder B and sintering at 1210 °C (scale bar 10 µm). Full article ">Figure 5
SCP-1 cell attachment, number of live cells, and proliferation on three scaffolds tested. SCP-1 cells were seeded and cultured on scaffolds A, BI, and BII for 21 days. (a) Attached SCP-1 cells on scaffolds compared to cultured polystyrene. Number of live SCP-1 cells were analyzed after 24 h, 48 h, 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days by total DNA levels (b) and visualized by esterase activity (c) using calcein-AM (green) and nuclear staining using Hoechst 33342 (blue) (scale bar 2000 µm). Each measure was conducted at least three independent times in triplicate. The data are presented as the mean, standard error of the mean, and all data points. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons (a) or a two-way analysis of variance test followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons (b). p-values are classified as ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; and **** p < 0.0001 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A and as ## p < 0.01; ### p < 0.001; and #### p < 0.0001 for comparison within scaffold B. Full article ">Figure 6
SCP-1 osteogenic differentiation potential on three scaffolds tested. SCP-1 cells were seeded and cultured under osteogenic condition on scaffolds A, BI, and BII for 21 days. (a) Metabolic activity of SCP-1 cells were analyzed after 24 h, 48 h, 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days by mitochondrial activity as relative fluorescence units (RFU). (b) Alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity normalized to DNA of SCP-1 cells were analyzed after 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days as relative absorbance units (RAU). (c) Procollagen type I N-propeptide (PINP) supernatant levels were determined after 21-day osteogenic culture. Each measure was conducted at least three independent times in duplicate. The data are presented as the mean, standard error of the mean, and all data points. Data were analyzed by a two-way analysis of variance test followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons. p-values are classified as * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; and **** p < 0.0001 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A and as # p < 0.05; ## p < 0.01; ### p < 0.001; and #### p < 0.0001 for comparison within scaffold B. Full article ">Figure 7
THP-1 cell attachment and number of live cells on three scaffolds tested. THP-1 cells were seeded and cultured on scaffolds A, BI, and BII for 24 h. (a) Attached SCP-1 cells on scaffolds compared to cultured polystyrene. Number of live THP-1 cells were visualized after 24 h by esterase activity (b) using calcein-AM (green) and nuclear staining using Hoechst 33342 (blue) (scale bar 2000 µm). Each measure was conducted at least three independent times in triplicate. The data are presented as the mean, standard error of the mean, and all data points. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons. p-values are classified as **** p < 0.0001 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A. Full article ">Figure 8
Bone cell viability and proliferation in co-cultures on the three scaffolds tested. THP-1 and SCP-1 were seeded and co-cultured on scaffolds A, BI, and BII for 21 days. Quantification of total DNA (a) and mitochondrial activity by resazurin conversion (b) in bone co-cultures after 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days. Number of live bone co-cultures were visualized by esterase activity (c) using calcein-AM (green) and nuclear staining with Hoechst 33342 (blue) (scale bar 2000 µm). Each measure was conducted at least three independent times in triplicate. The data are presented as the mean, standard error of the mean, and all data points. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance test followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons. p-values are classified as **** p < 0.0001 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A and as # p < 0.05 for comparison within scaffold B. Full article ">Figure 9
Osteoblast- and osteoclast-like cell function in co-cultures on the three scaffolds tested. THP-1 and SCP-1 were seeded and co-cultured on scaffolds A, BI, and BII for 21 days. (a) Alkaline phosphatase (AP), (b) carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), and (c) tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity normalized to DNA of bone co-cultures were analyzed after 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days as relative absorbance units (RAU). (d) Procollagen type I N-propeptide (PINP) and collagen type I N-telopeptide (NTX) supernatant levels were determined after a 21-day culture. Each measure was conducted at least three independent times in duplicate. The data are presented as the mean or standard error of the mean. Data were analyzed by a two-way analysis of variance test followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons. p-values are classified as **** p < 0.0001, ** p < 0.01, and * p < 0.05 for comparison between scaffold B and scaffold A and as ## p < 0.01 for comparison within scaffold B. Full article ">

10 pages, 1007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Core–Shell Microspheres with Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticle Carriers for Controlled Release of Anti-Cancer Drugs

by Lin Guo, Qilong Zhao and Min Wang

J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(10), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15100277 - 24 Sep 2024

Viewed by 796

Abstract

Cancer is one of the major threats to human health and lives. However, effective cancer treatments remain a great challenge in clinical medicine. As a common approach for cancer treatment, chemotherapy has saved the life of millions of people; however, patients who have gone through chemotherapy often suffer from severe side effects owing to the inherent cytotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs. Stabilizing the blood concentration of an anti-cancer drug will reduce the occurrence or severity of side effects, and relies on using an appropriate drug delivery system (DDS) for achieving sustained or even on-demand drug delivery. However, this is still an unmet clinical challenge since the mainstay of anti-cancer drugs is small molecules, which tend to be diffused rapidly in the body, and conventional DDSs exhibit the burst release phenomenon. Here, we establish a class of DDSs based on biodegradable core–shell microspheres with encapsulated doxorubicin hydrochloride-loaded gold nanoparticles (DOX@Au@MSs), with the core–shell microspheres being made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) in the current study. By harnessing the physical barrier of the biodegradable shell of core–shell microspheres, DOX@Au@MSs can provide a sustained release of the anti-cancer drug in the test duration (which is 21 days in the current study). Thanks to the photothermal properties of the encapsulated gold nanoparticle carriers, the core–shell biodegradable microspheres can be ruptured through remotely controlled near-infrared (NIR) light, thereby achieving an NIR-controlled triggered release of the anti-cancer drug. Furthermore, the route of the DOX-Au@MS-enabled controlled release of the anti-cancer drug can provide durable cancer cell ablation for the long period of 72 h. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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Schematic illustration showing the design and formation of DOX-Au@MSs for the controlled release of anti-cancer drugs and durable killing of cancer cells. Upon exposure to an NIR light, the DOX@Au@MSs would be ruptured, caused by photothermal effects of the AuNPs, subsequently releasing the DOX@Au and then the DOX in a spatiotemporally controllable manner. Full article ">Figure 2
Different release behaviors of DOX from different types of delivery vehicles. (a) Schematically illustrating the differential release behaviors of DOX from diverse delivery vehicles. (b) A representative TEM image of DOX@Au. Scale bar: 50 nm. (c) A representative SEM image of DOX-Au@MSs, with an inset showing a representative TEM image of DOX-Au@MSs. Scale bar: 100 nm and 2 μm (inset). (d) A representative SEM image of DOX@Au@MSs, with an inset showing a representative TEM image of DOX@Au@MSs. Scale bar: 100 nm and 2 μm (inset). (e–g) Cumulative release behaviors of DOX from DOX@Au (e), DOX-Au@MSs (f) or DOX@Au@MSs (g), with the right curves showing the release within the initial 48 h. Full article ">Figure 3
NIR-controlled microsphere rupture and DOX release. (a) Schematically illustrating the NIR-controlled release of DOX from the DOX@Au@MSs. (b) A representative SEM image showing the ruptured structure of the DOX@Au@MSs after NIR irradiation. Scale bar: 5 μm. (c) A representative TEM image showing the released DOX@Au from the DOX@Au@MSs after NIR irradiation. Scale bar: 100 nm. (d) Cumulative release behaviors of DOX from the DOX@Au@MSs with or without NIR irradiation. Full article ">Figure 4
In vitro anti-cancer performance of DOX@Au@MSs. (a) Representative fluorescence images showing the HeLa cells treated with the DOX@Au@MSs for different amounts of time. Scale bar: 5 μm. (b) Statistics of the percentages of dead cells for the HeLa cells treated with the DOX@Au@MSs or the DOX-free control over different amounts of time. Full article ">

11 pages, 3519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cell Proliferation, Chondrogenic Differentiation, and Cartilaginous Tissue Formation in Recombinant Silk Fibroin with Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Binding Peptide

by Manabu Yamada, Arata Nakajima, Kayo Sakurai, Yasushi Tamada and Koichi Nakagawa

J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(8), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15080230 - 17 Aug 2024

Viewed by 936

Abstract

Regeneration of articular cartilage remains a challenge for patients who have undergone cartilage injury, osteochondritis dissecans and osteoarthritis. Here, we describe a new recombinant silk fibroin with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) binding peptide, which has a genetically introduced sequence PLLQATLGGGS, named P7. In this study, we cultured a human mesenchymal cell line derived from bone marrow, UE6E7-16, in wild-type fibroin sponge (FS) and recombinant silk fibroin sponge with P7 peptide (P7 FS). We compared cell proliferation, chondrogenic differentiation and cartilaginous tissue formation between the two types of sponge. After stimulation with bFGF at 3 ng/mL, P7 FS showed significantly higher cell growth (1.2-fold) and higher cellular DNA content (5.6-fold) than did wild-type FS. To promote chondrogenic differentiation, cells were cultured in the presence of TGF-β at 10 ng/mL for 28 days. Immunostaining of P7 FS showed SOX9-positive cells comparable to wild-type FS. Alcian-Blue staining of P7 FS also showed cartilaginous tissue formation equivalent to wild-type FS. A significant increase in cell proliferation in P7 FS implies future clinical application of this transgenic fibroin for regeneration of articular cartilage. To produce cartilaginous tissue efficiently, transgenic fibroin sponges and culture conditions must be improved. Such changes should include the selection of growth factors involved in chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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Schematic drawing of recombinant silk fibroin fused to P7 peptide. Full article ">Figure 2
Scanning electron microscopic images of wild-type (WT) and P7 fibroin sponge. P7 fibroin sponge (P7) is a recombinant silk fibroin with bFGF-binding peptide, named P7. Scale bars = 50 µm. Full article ">Figure 3
Cell culture in fibroin sponge using a cell culture insert. Cells were cultured in the presence of bFGF for 3 days and subjected to a cell proliferation assay. Following stimulation with bFGF, cells were also cultured in the presence of TGF-β3 for 28 days to evaluate chondrogenic differentiation and cartilaginous tissue formation in the sponge. bFGF, basic fibroblast growth factor; TGF, transforming growth factor. Full article ">Figure 4
Cell proliferation of UE6E7-16 cells cultured in FS for 3 days. (A) Wild-type FS. Stimulation with bFGF increased cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. (B) P7 FS. Stimulation with bFGF increased cell growth but not in a dose-dependent manner. (C) Comparison between wild-type and P7 FS without stimulation of bFGF. (D) Comparison between wild-type and P7 FS after stimulation with bFGF. Error bars show standard deviation. Significant difference, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.005, **** p < 0.001. WT, wild-type; FS, fibroin sponge; bFGF, basic fibroblast growth factor. Full article ">Figure 5
DNA quantification of UE6E7-16 cells cultured in FS for 3 days. (A) Wild-type FS. (B) P7 FS. (C) Comparison between wild-type and P7 FS without stimulation of bFGF. (D) Comparison between wild-type and P7 FS after stimulation with bFGF. Error bars show standard deviation. Significant difference, ** p < 0.01, **** p < 0.001. N.S., not significant; WT, wild-type; FS, fibroin sponge; bFGF, basic fibroblast growth factor. Full article ">Figure 6
Chondrogenic differentiation of UE6E7-16 cells cultured in FS for 28 days. (A) Immunostaining of SOX9 for WT and P7 FS. Scale bars = 50 µm. (B) A median ratio (%) of SOX9-positive cells to total cells. Thick horizontal lines, boxes, and whiskers show median, interquartile range (IQR), and most extreme points from the limits of the box, respectively. N.S., not significant; WT, wild-type; FS, fibroin sponge. Full article ">Figure 7
Cartilaginous tissue formation by UE6E7-16 cells cultured in FS for 28 days. Cartilaginous tissue is rendered light blue with Alcian-Blue staining. P7 FS shows an equivalent amount of cartilaginous tissue to that seen in wild-type FS. Scale bars = 50 µm. WT, wild-type; FS, fibroin sponge. Full article ">

22 pages, 6821 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of Laser Activated Antimicrobial Porous Tricalcium Phosphate-Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds for Orthopedic Applications

by Emil Filipov, Ridvan Yildiz, Anna Dikovska, Lamborghini Sotelo, Tharun Soma, Georgi Avdeev, Penka Terziyska, Silke Christiansen, Anne Leriche, Maria Helena Fernandes and Albena Daskalova

J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15020036 - 30 Jan 2024

Viewed by 2099

Abstract

The field of bone tissue engineering is steadily being improved by novel experimental approaches. Nevertheless, microbial adhesion after scaffold implantation remains a limitation that could lead to the impairment of the regeneration process, or scaffold rejection. The present study introduces a methodology that employs laser-based strategies for the development of antimicrobial interfaces on tricalcium phosphate–hydroxyapatite (TCP-HA) scaffolds. The outer surfaces of the ceramic scaffolds with inner porosity were structured using a femtosecond laser (λ = 800 nm; τ = 70 fs) for developing micropatterns and altering local surface roughness. The pulsed laser deposition of ZnO was used for the subsequent functionalization of both laser-structured and unmodified surfaces. The impact of the fs irradiation was investigated by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effects of the ZnO-layered ceramic surfaces on initial bacterial adherence were assessed by culturing Staphylococcus aureus on both functionalized and non-functionalized scaffolds. Bacterial metabolic activity and morphology were monitored via the Resazurin assay and microscopic approaches. The presence of ZnO evidently decreased the metabolic activity of bacteria and led to impaired cell morphology. The results from this study have led to the conclusion that the combination of fs laser-structured surface topography and ZnO could yield a potential antimicrobial interface for implants in bone tissue engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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19 pages, 8907 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Fibronectin Conformations after Electrodeposition onto 316L Stainless Steel Substrates Enhanced Early-Stage Osteoblasts’ Adhesion but Affected Their Behavior

by Séverine Alfonsi, Pithursan Karunathasan, Ayann Mamodaly-Samdjee, Keerthana Balathandayutham, Sarah Lefevre, Anamar Miranda, Olivier Gallet, Damien Seyer and Mathilde Hindié

J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15010005 - 21 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1991

Abstract

The implantation of metallic orthopedic prostheses is increasingly common due to an aging population and accidents. There is a real societal need to implement new metal implants that combine durability, good mechanical properties, excellent biocompatibility, as well as affordable costs. Since the functionalization of low-cost 316L stainless steel substrates through the successive electrodeposition of a polypyrrole film (PPy) and a calcium phosphate deposit doped with silicon was previously carried out by our labs, we have also developed a bio-functional coating by electrodepositing or oxidating of fibronectin (Fn) coating. Fn is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion and differentiation. Impacts of either electrodeposition or oxidation on the structure and functionality of Fn were first studied. Thus, electrodeposition is the technique that permits the highest deposition of fibronectin, compared to adsorption or oxidation. Furthermore, electrodeposition seems to strongly modify Fn conformation by the formation of intermingled long fibers, resulting in changes to the accessibility of the molecular probes tested (antibodies directed against Fn whole molecule and Fn cell-binding domain). Then, the effects of either electrodeposited Fn or oxidized Fn were validated by the resulting pre-osteoblast behavior. Electrodeposition reduced pre-osteoblasts’ ability to remodel Fn coating on supports because of a partial modification of Fn conformation, which reduced accessibility to the cell-binding domain. Electrodeposited Fn also diminished α5 integrin secretion and clustering along the plasma membrane. However, the N-terminal extremity of Fn was not modified by electrodeposition as demonstrated by Staphylococcus aureus attachment after 3 h of culture on a specific domain localized in this region. Moreover, the number of pre-osteoblasts remains stable after 3 h culture on either adsorbed, oxidized, or electrodeposited Fn deposits. In contrast, mitochondrial activity and cell proliferation were significantly higher on adsorbed Fn compared with electrodeposited Fn after 48 h culture. Hence, electro-deposited Fn seems more favorable to pre-osteoblast early-stage behavior than during a longer culture of 24 h and 48 h. The electrodeposition of matrix proteins could be improved to maintain their bio-activity and to develop this promising, fast technique to bio-functionalize metallic implants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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18 pages, 7377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanostructured Porous Silicon for Bone Tissue Engineering: Kinetics of Particle Degradation and Si-Controlled Release

by Naveen Fatima, Hamideh Salehi, Eduardo J. Cueto-Díaz, Alban Desoutter, Frédéric Cuisinier, Frédérique Cunin and Pierre-Yves Collart-Dutilleul

J. Funct. Biomater. 2023, 14(10), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14100493 - 30 Sep 2023

Viewed by 2221

Abstract

Nanostructured porous silicon (pSi) is a synthetic silicon-based material. Its biocompatibility and bioresorbability in body fluids make pSi an appealing biomaterial for tissue engineering, with surfaces characteristics facilitating human cell adhesion and differentiation. The resorption kinetics of such porous biomaterials is crucial for in vivo bone regeneration, in order to adapt biomaterial resorption to tissue formation, and to control the release of loaded bioactive molecules. We investigated pSi as a bioactive scaffold for bone tissue engineering, with an emphasis on kinetics of pSi resorption and silicon release. PSi particles and chips were fabricated from crystalline silicon, and functionalized by oxidation and chemical grafting of amine groups to mimic biological structures. Materials resorption over time was investigated with Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Silicon release was followed by mass spectrometry. Particle degradation and inclusion in newly formed bone were studied in vivo. The in vitro experiments revealed that non-oxidized pSi had an accelerated initial dissolution in ddH₂O and an inhibition of initial Si release in SBF. This high reactivity also led to transformation towards amorphous non-resorbable silica when incubated in SBF. PSi resorption started immediately with a maximal dissolution in the first 24 h. Later, the dissolution rate decreased over time. In comparison, the resorption process of oxidized pSi seemed delayed, but more continuous. This delayed dissolution increased the bioactivity and stability, leading to enhanced bone formation in vivo. Delayed pSi degradation provided a constant surge of silicic acid over time and promoted bone regeneration, demonstrating the high potential of pSi for bone tissue engineering: Oxidized pSi were almost completely resorbed after 2 months of healing, with remaining partially dissolved particles surrounded by newly formed bone. On the contrary, non-oxidized particles were still obviously present after 2 months with limited bone regeneration. This delayed resorption is consistent with the in vitro observations in SBF, and particles’ transformation towards silica. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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15 pages, 10647 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Cryo-Electrospinning Generates Highly Porous Fiber Scaffolds Which Improves Trabecular Meshwork Cell Infiltration

by Devon J. Crouch, Carl M. Sheridan, Julia G. Behnsen, Raechelle A. D’Sa and Lucy A. Bosworth

J. Funct. Biomater. 2023, 14(10), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14100490 - 22 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2322

Abstract

Human trabecular meshwork is a sieve-like tissue with large pores, which plays a vital role in aqueous humor outflow. Dysfunction of this tissue can occur, which leads to glaucoma and permanent vision loss. Replacement of trabecular meshwork with a tissue-engineered device is the ultimate objective. This study aimed to create a biomimetic structure of trabecular meshwork using electrospinning. Conventional electrospinning was compared to cryogenic electrospinning, the latter being an adaptation of conventional electrospinning whereby dry ice is incorporated in the fiber collector system. The dry ice causes ice crystals to form in-between the fibers, increasing the inter-fiber spacing, which is retained following sublimation. Structural characterization demonstrated cryo-scaffolds to have closer recapitulation of the trabecular meshwork, in terms of pore size, porosity, and thickness. The attachment of a healthy, human trabecular meshwork cell line (NTM₅) to the scaffold was not influenced by the fabrication method. The main objective was to assess cell infiltration. Cryo-scaffolds supported cell penetration deep within their structure after seven days, whereas cells remained on the outer surface for conventional scaffolds. This study demonstrates the suitability of cryogenic electrospinning for the close recapitulation of trabecular meshwork and its potential as a 3D in vitro model and, in time, a tissue-engineered device. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomaterials and Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

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